Checkwriteb



C. G. TIEFEL.

CHECKWRITER.

APPLICATION mm NOV. 15. ms.

Patented June 24, 191% 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Charles G: Tz'cfei )YIS A TTORNEY CHARLES e. TIEFEL, or nocnns'rnn,

T mom) rno'rno'roenarn CGMPANY, on NEW YORK;

ac-- I Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. November 15, 1915.

machines of the hand operated variety use for marking checksv with a protectrve 1nscript-ion, and, more particularly, to themachines of this variety known as check Writers, in which the printing characters include words of varying length, and a Y mechanism is provided for feeding the paper corresponding variable distances between the printing impressions.

The main object of the invention is to provide a machine of this type having a simple and eflicient feeding mechanism operatin g to advance the work by the application of a positive force, and to accurately determine and precisely control the extentof the feeding movement.

Other ob ects and advantages will appear in correction with the following more detailed description of one embodiment of the.

invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view Fig. 2 is a side' elevation thereof.

Fig, 3' is a top plan view of the" machine with the cover of the casing removed to expose the intcrior parts.

Figet is a side elevation in section for showing the interior parts.

Fig. 5 is a detail of a portion of the feed-.

ing mechanism looking toward the front of the machine.-

Fig. 6 is a similar view, looking toward the rear of the machine, showing two positions of the actuating pawl.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the member for tripping the pawl in a an ferent position,

The printing machine cnt invention comprises a base portion 10, and an upper portion, or housing, 11. which portions are rigidly connected so as to leave therebetween a work receiving slot 12 above a supporting bed 13 embodying the pres 5 on the lower portion of the casing.

of the machine.

-- rotatably carried on an frame having a orme s.

YORK, ASSIGNOE,,IBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS; OF,ROGHESTEB, NEW

YORK, A CORPORATION GHECKWRITER.

Serial No. 61,537.

The housing 11 'has journaled therein a shaft 14 on which is fixed a type carrier, or cylinder, 15, on the periphery of which are fixed a plurality 'of types 16 extending axi-. ally of the cylinder in spaced relation. For rotating the carrier there is fixed on the shaft 14: a gear 17 (Fig. 3), with which meshes a gear 18 fixed on a shaft 19 journaled in the wall of the housing and carrying exteriorly thereof a knob 20. The gear 18 is larger than the gear 17 so that by turnextends upwardly 1n crossed relation, and

passing over supporting pulleys fixed on the casing, carries a pointer 23 extending over a dial 21 attached to the cover of the casing so as, to be readily visible from above the machine. This dial is provided with characters corresponding to the types on the carrier, and so arranged that when the pointer is brought into register with any character on the dial by turning the knob, 20, the corresponding type is thus brought individually and selectively to the common printing position. 9

The types may be inked by any suitable contrivance, and there is shown for this purpose in the present instance an inking rol pivoted on a spindle 27 supported in the housing, and the roll is held inrolling contact with the type on thecylinder by aneans of a spring 28 fixed tothe other errd .of the lever.

Journaled in the upper portion of the housing is a sha t 29 which extends with out the housing at one end, and has attached thereto the .main operating member, or crank, 30. -Fixed on the shaft 29 a cam 31 adapted during the latter part of each revolution of the shaft 29 to engage and rock the arm 32 of a bell crank lever fixed on a shaft 33 which is journaled at its ends in the housing. This lever has a forwardly extending arm 34: carrying in a socket at its end a Patented June 24, 1919. i

of the work by means of the spring 28 which is attached at its other end to the arm 32 of the lever.

A means is preferably provided for precisely centering the types in printing position and for locking the'carrier during the printing operation. One form of mechanism suitable for this purpose is shown as comprising a cam 37 on the shaft 29 adapted to engage and raise an extension 38 of an arm 39 pivotally supported on a spindle 40 and provided at its forward end with a beveled point -Ll adapted to engage in beveled notches in a wheel 42 (Fig. 3). fixed on the shaft 1'1:- One of thesenotches is provided to correspond with each of the type forms, and it will be understood that at the beginning of the rotation of shaft 2!), cam 37 rocks the arm 39, and the point -l1 entering the notch corresponding to the selected type form accurately centers the latter in position and locks the carrier until the shaft 29 is returned to its initial position, when the point 41 is raised and disengaged from the wheel by means of a spring 50 attached to an extension of arm 39.

The feeding mechanism comprises, preferably, as a means for advancing the work. a pair of feed wheels 43 fixed on a shaft H which is journaled at its rear end in the rear wall of the casing, and at its forward end in a lug 45 depending from the bed 13. These wheels extendthrough openings in the bed to position to engage the work, and the latter is pressed against the wheels by means of a pair of rollers 46 journaled in a yoke 47 which is pivotally supported on a spindle 48 and has a rearwardly extending arm 49 to which is fixed the spring 50. This spring presses the rolls 46 against the work, but the rolls may be raised to permit the insertion and removal of the paper by means of a rod 51 pivotally connected to the arm 49 and extending upwardly through the cover of the casing and provided at its upper end with a finger piece The construction thus far described is similar to that disclosed in the copending application of Todd and Tiefel, Serial. No. 24,810, April 29th, 1915, for an improvement in check writers.

The shaft 4-): has fixed near its rear end a ratchet wheel 53 with which is adapted to engage a pawl 54 pivotallywarried by a member 55 rotatably supported on the shaft 44. The pawl is provided with a projecting pin 56, and a spring 57 engaging this pin presses the pawl toward the ratchet wheel 53. The member 55 is adapted to be partially rotated about the shaft .44 by means of a pin 58 fixed on said'member (Fig. 5) and engaging in a slot 59 in a yoke 60 which hasforklike arms embracing shaft 44 so as to guide it for vertical'movement.v The yoke 60 has an upwardly eiitending shank 61 and is normally held in its lowermost position with the pawl 54 at the extremity of its movement toward the right, as seen in Fig. 5, by means of a spring 62 attachd to the shank 61 Yoke 60 is adapted to be raised,

' however, to swing the pawl toward the left Fig. 5, to turn the ratchet wheel, and then, I

to return the pawl, idly, to-- its starting position.

As the types on the carrier vary considerably in length, means must be provided for correspondingly varying the uniform feeding movement of the parts so far described.

This means comprises, preferably, a trip? ping'clevice in the form of a sector plate 68' rotatably carried by the shaft 44. This plate has a circumferential edge concentric with the shaft 44, and at such a radial distance from the shaft as to engage and raise the pin 56, thereby lifting the pawl out of contact with the ratchet wheel. The parts are so arranged that when the pawl is in starting position it is adjacentthe end 69 of the edge of the plate 68, and it will be seen that the active stroke of the 'pawl carries it past the end 9 of the plate-and that the pawl drops into engagement with the ratchet as it passes this point (39, so that the pawl may be madeto engage the ratchet earlier or later during the first part of its stroke by the rotary adjpstment of the plate 68. The means for ad usting this plate comprises, preferably, a pin 70 fixed thereon and engaging in a sl'ot' 7l of a yoke 7 2 which has depending forklike arms embracing the shaft 44 to guide the yoke for vertical movement. The yoke is provided with an upwardly extending shank 73 to which is pivotally attached one arm 74 of a lever 7;" pivoted on the spindle 27 ,qand having forwardly extending arm '76 provided ivith a roller for contact with the .outlihe of a cam 77 fixed on the shaft 14. The cam is so designed that when a given type is in printing position the point on the outline of the cam which is in contact with the roller is at a radial distance from theeenter of shaft 1i corresponding to the length of this type form, and the shorter the type form "the longer the radius of the corresponding point on the cam outline, and vice versa. The roller is preferably the cam by the tension of spring (32 which is attaehed at its other end to the yoke 72. Thus, for a long type in printing position, a lo portion of the cam thefollower so that the yoke 72 is raised and the plate 68 swung in a clock-wise direction, as seen inl ig. 6, so. that the pawl is allowed to drop, quickly, into engagement with the ratchet wheel and to impart a relatively large movement to the feed wheels. Correspondingly, when a short type is brought to printing counter clock-wise direction, as illustrated in Fig. 7, so that the pawl engages the ratchet only toward the end of its movement and feeds the paper a eorresponding'short distance. It will be noticed that the active stroke of the pawl is produced by the application of a positive force, and it is therefore moved at a more uniform speed than would be obtained from the reactive force 'of a spring.

To further control the feeding movement imparted to the work and insure its accuracy, a device is provided for preventing any excessive movement due to an overthrow of the ratchet wheel. This device comprises a stud 78 fixed to the casing and carrying an adjustable stop member, or screw, 79, in position to engage the pawl Mat the extremity of its active stroke, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. ti, so as to holditin locking engagement with the ratchet wheel, so that the latter cannot over-travel as a reuult of its inertia. The ratchet wheel is Znrevented from any movement in areverse-direction means of a ball 80 engaging 'one of the feed wheels 43 and carried in an inclined bore 81 in a frame 82, so that while the ball is rotated'freely by the feed wheels in their forward movement, any reverse movement of the wheels tends to clamp the ball in its socket and lock. the wheels against movemerit:

The operation of the machine needs but a brief description. The type carrier is adjusted, as already described, to bring the desired types, individually, in order, to pr1nt iug posit1on, and as each type is brought to printing position the tripping device, or plate (38, is rotatably adjusted to determine the extent of the feeding movement to correspond with the length of the respective type, and after each rier the operating crank 30 is given a complete rotation, at the commencement of which the carrier is centered and locked in position. The feeding mechanism is then actuated to advance the work to bring a blank portion of the paper on the printing line to position beneath the selected type form, and

tact; with the type.

held in engagement with 77 is in contact with.

position, plate 68 is rotated in a adjustment of the car then raised into printing con- The rotation of the crank having been completed, the platen and feeding mechanism are returnedto initial the platen is 1 position and the type carrier is released for the next operation.

The protective quality of the inscription printed on a check writing machine depends largely upon the accurate spac'ingmf the words, to prevent alteration by the substitution or insertion of other cha ac-ters. The present invention, therefore, affords an important. advantage in providing an accurate and reliable feeding mechanism. The rotary operating crank ismoved at a substantially uniform speed by the operator, and the feeding mechanism being actuated by a positive connection with the crank, it will be apparent that a uniform feeding movement will be secured, an additional means to this end being provided in the device for preventing the overthrow of the work advancing means due to the inertia of the parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is g- 1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a movable type carrier provided with type lines of different lengths movable selectively to a common printing position, of a platen, means for effecting a relative printing movement between the type carrier and platen, acam rigid with the type carrier, having its periphery graduated to correspond to the lengths of the various type lines, means for feeding the work, devices actuated by the cam for determining the extent of the feed, and a stationary stop cooperating with the feeding meansto positively limit the extent of feed.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a rotatable type carrier, having type lines of different'lengths upon its periphery, of a cam moving with the type carrier and having its periphery, graduated to correspond to the lengths of the various type lines, means for feeding the work, devices moved from one position to another by movement of the cam for determining the extent of the work feed, and a stop cooperating with the feeding means to positively limit the extent of the feed.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a cylindrical type carrier havingtype for printing words of various lengths, rolls constructed to be rotated to feed thework, a cam having its periphery graduated to correspond to the lengths of the varipns words, means for moving said cam, a. fpember constantly in engagen'ient with and actuated by movement of said cam, means. controlled by said member for actuating the feed rolls various distances (01111. 7 sponding to the lengthsof the. t ypes, and a stationary stud for p0sitive1y limiting movement of the actuating means.

a 4:. In a machine of the class described,

the, con'ibination with a rotatable type carrier,'-hav1ng on its periphery type lines of .diiferent lengths,-of a cam connected for r0 ta-tlon in unison With the type carrier, feed' ing rolls for advancing the Work, ratchet and pawl mechanism for actuating the feeding rolls in one direction, means for giving the pawl an invariable excursion, means set by movement of the aforesaid cam for de termining the point of initial engagement of the pawl with the ratchet, and a stop engaged y the pawl at the end of its invariable excursion, said stop and pawl cooperating to prevent over rotation of the feeding rolls.

- CHARLES G. TIEFEL. Witnesses:

MAGNUS H. J OHANSON,

BURT A. WEAVER. 

